Friday, June 28, 2013

US forces are ready to implement a no-fly zone in Syria if it is asked to do so, but it would be difficult because the Syrian air defence system is sophisticated and dense, a top Pentagon official said.From the 'horses mouth':

“A no-fly zone is just one option of many that we have analysed and prepared. It will be difficult because the Syrian air defence system is sophisticated and it’s dense,” said Gen Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with the US Defence Secretary, Chuck Hagel present with him.

“As I’ve said many times, if that is a decision that the nation takes, that we want to impose a no-fly zone, we’ll make it happen.

“We can do that with a combination of stand-off munitions, electronic jamming, long-range attack and close-air attack. We can, if asked to do so, establish a no-fly zone,” he said.

“My concern has been ensuring that Syria’s airplanes don’t fly, addresses about 10 per cent of the problem in terms of the casualties that are taken in Syria,” he added.

“If we choose to conduct a no-fly zone, it’s essential an act of war, and I’d like to understand the plan to make peace before we start a war,” said Dempsey.

Yes, conducting a no fly zone would most definitely be an act of war. General Dempsey does not concern himself with peace. He is a military man. He is all about war.

Good read:
Talk about targeting Iran's nuclear reactor but what comes after? Nothing?

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, left, shares a few words with Israeli
Minister of Defense Moshe Ya'alon after Ya'alon took an in-flight
demonstration on the capabilities of the MV-22 Osprey, in background

The United States plans to give Israel weapons that would enable it to send ground forces against Iranian nuclear facilities that it can't penetrate from the air.

The deal includes air-refueling aircraft, advanced radars for F-15 fighter jets, and up to eight V-22 Ospreys, an aircraft that can land like a helicopter and carry two dozen special operations forces with their gear over long distances at aircraft speeds.

The Osprey "is the ideal platform for sending Israeli special forces into Iran," says Kenneth Pollack, a former CIA analyst now at the Brookings Institution's Saban Center for Middle East Policy.

The aircraft could help solve Israel's inability to breach Iran's uranium enrichment facility buried under a granite mountain at Fordow. It might be impregnable to even the heaviest conventional bunker-busting munitions in the U.S. arsenal, Pollack said. Israeli military planners have been brainstorming how to conduct an effective operation, Pollack said, citing conversations with senior Israeli military officers."One of the possibilities is (Israel) would use special forces to assault the Fordow facility and blow it up," Pollack said.

The weapons deal would be part of a military aid package for Israel that includes $1 billion for up to eight V-22 tilt-rotors; $500 million to retrofit radars into F-15 fighters and another $1 billion for a variety of air-to-ground weapons. Additional details about the U.S.-financed deal were revealed during a visit to Washington by Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon on June 15.

Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday had a working dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and will visit with Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian officials through Saturday, discussing broad regional issues and the peace process.

Jonathan Schanzer, executive director of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, said the arms package was part of an Israeli wish list including some items that were not discussed publicly to help it keep a military edge over other nations in the region and for possible operations against Iran.

Israel's air force would be hard-pressed to cause lasting damage to the Iranian nuclear program because it cannot sustain long-term bombardment and has limited bunker-busting capabilities and limited air-refueling capabilities, said Kenneth Katzman, who co-wrote the 2012 report "Israel: Possible military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities" for the Congressional Research Service.

When he first announced the deal during a visit to Israel in April, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the Ospreys would provide Israel with high-speed maritime search-and rescue-capabilities.

Yaalon said the arms sale would send a message to Israel's chief adversary in the region.

"Without a credible military option, there's no chance the Iranian regime will realize it has to stop the military nuclear project," Yaalon said.

Other parts of the arms package include Boeing's KC-135 "Stratotanker," which can refuel Ospreys and other aircraft while airborne and extend the tilt-rotor aircraft's 426-mile range almost indefinitely. The deal also includes anti-radiation missiles that are used to target air defense systems, and advanced radars for Israel's fleet of F-15 fighter jets, according to a Defense Department press release.

That equipment would increase Israel's capabilities against Iran, said Ely Karmon, a senior research scholar at the Institute for Counter-Terrorism at The Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel.

The refueling equipment would extend the reach of Israeli special forces, which could be used against Iran as they were in Israel's attack on a Syrian nuclear facility under construction in 2007, Karmon said.

In the 2007 attack, at least one Israeli team was on the ground to provide laser targeting of sophisticated air munitions, Karmon said. "The same would be done for Iranian sites."

The Osprey also could be used for search-and-rescue operations if Israeli aircraft involved in a complex air operation are shot down and pilots endangered, Karmon said.

Michael Rubin, an analyst for the American Enterprise Institute, said senior U.S. and Israeli bombers would do significant damage to Iran's hardened sites by targeting the entrances, and Israel could use the Ospreys for missions other than Iran's nuclear sites. Israel may want the ability to send troops to secure chemical facilities in remote regions of Syria or to block Iranian shipments bound for terrorists in the Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula or Lebanon, Rubin said.

"Sudan and Eritrea are floating the idea of building an Iranian naval base or shipping Iranian missiles to the Gaza Strip," Rubin said, referring to the Palestinian territory controlled by the terrorist group Hamas. "If you wanted to disrupt such missiles in a convoy, you'd do it with an Osprey."

The arms deal also sends a message to Iran and reassurance to Israel that the United States is serious about standing by the Jewish state, Karmon said.

Katzman said he doesn't think the arms sale provides Israel with significant new capabilities that Israel did not already have. He said the overall defense package, which also includes advanced F-16 fighter jets for the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, Iran's chief rivals in the Persian Gulf, is more "a symbolic move to show (American) resolve to Iran," Katzman said.

NSA
whistleblower Russ Tice joins us for an eyeopening hour-long interview
on the real extent of the NSA spying scandal. Beyond PRISM and beyond
metadata, we explore the facts of NSA spying: that every electronic
communication is being copied and stored by the US government. We talk
about the political implications of this information, including the
almost limitless power for blackmailing that this power gives those in
charge of the wiretapping. Tice also names names on who has been
targeted by these wiretaps

Interview transcript excerpt from link above

So, some amazing things are going on
right now behind the scenes and they’re not being reported on as Snowden
sort of ‘takes the wind out of the sails’ of the NSA spying story. But
people who are interested can go to corbettreport.com for my own interview with Russell Tice the other NSA whistleblower who is being ignored in all of this.

Syria:UN Chemical weapons inspectors in Turkey?
Obama has already used the chemical weapons meme for justification to up the ante?
So, what is the point of these inspectors 'inspecting' in Turkey?
Most likely, to bolster the NATO/Obama nonsense about red lines to justify a no fly zone?

“From Turkey, the team will be unable to gather soil samples or scientific evidence needed to prove chemical use, but could compile intelligence and interview or take blood samples from witnesses or victims of alleged attacks”

There is no chance of getting soil samples or real evidence to prove chemical use. Therefore, this has got to be about spin

Could Syrian Army advances be the reason for the new chemical weapon propaganda push?

The fall of Tel Kalakh, two miles (3km) from the border with Lebanon, marks another gain for Assad after the capture of the rebel stronghold of Qusair this month, and consolidates his control around the central city of Homs

"Terrorist groups infiltrated and terrorised the local people," an army officer said in the video. "In response to the request of the local people, the army entered Tel Kalakh to cleanse the area and restore security."

"The first and likeliest reason for the closure is that Russia doesn't want to risk the lives of 70 military personnel stationed at Tartus," says Vladimir Sotnikov, expert with the official Institute of Oriental Studies in Moscow.

"Now that the battlefield initiative in Syria's civil war is in the hands of the Assad regime, Russia might fear some [rebel] provocations against our people. Another possible reason may be to help promote the Geneva-2 talks. We have information that Russia, the United Nations and the US have agreed to a format for the talks. So, perhaps Russia wants to dispel impression that its position is based on some desire to hold on to this station," Mr. Sotnikov says.

In any case, Russian ships have the opportunity to go to Cyprus for supplies and maintenance, and it's safer for them to do so right now," he adds.

Other Russian analysts agree that, whatever the reasons for Russia's personnel pullout, it probably doesn't signal any change of the hard, pro-Assad position that Mr. Putin most recently reiterated at last week's G8 summit in Northern Ireland.

Russia has withdrawn all military personnel from its naval base in Syria and replaced them with civilian workers.

The ministry did not say when the switch at the base at Tartus took place or how many personnel were deployed there. The ministry statement said that Tartus has continued to service the Russian navy ships.

"They
are continuing to work in a regular mode, and there is no talk about
their evacuation from Tartus," the statement said. "Tartus remains the
official base and repair facility for the Russian ships in the
Mediterranean and is continuing to fulfill its mission".Moscow, however, also has an unknown number of military advisers in
Syria who help its military operate and maintain Soviet- and
Russian-built weapons that make up the core of its arsenals.

Senior Egyptian army sources reported that 30 Islamic Jihad operatives from Gaza infiltrated into the Sinai Peninsula. According to the Palestinian news agency Maan, the operatives were well armed, and security forces in the area have raised the alert to emergency level.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Protests creating an impression of democracy at work? Reality being a reordering out of chaos?
A distraction of the masses while the elites aided by sycophantsdo their dirty work?
The protests continue in Turkey. And, Obama continues relations with Erdogan in Turkey.
Not a surprise.
The push for war in Syria was the main topic, though Obama found time to pay lip service to non violent free-expression. blah, blah, blah......

"The
president and prime minister discussed developments in Syria, including
the regime's use of chemical weapons against its own people, our shared
commitment to pursuing a political solution, the need to provide
additional support to the Syrian Coalition and the Supreme Military
Council to improve their effectiveness, and the importance of close
bilateral cooperation on contingency planning and counterterrorism
efforts.

Lip service:

"The prime minister also
described the situation in Turkey. The two leaders discussed the
importance of nonviolence and of the rights to free expression and
assembly and a free press."

Muslim Brotherhood Erdogan in Turkey is safe despite massive protests in Turkey. So what about Egypt?
Egypt looks to be on the verge of a protest movement. Or a move to protest.. Creating greater instability. Not that Egypt has been very stable since the installation of Morsi. The Western/Israeli sanctioned divide between Sunni and Shia looks to be coming into play.
Morsi is encouraging this split. (In service to NATO/Israel?) Which makes his so called leadership suspect. What is he leading Egypt towards? Dissolution and dissension? Balkanization? Certainly not strength or unity.Egypt turns on Shiites
Is this the action of a unifying leader?

Antagonism against the tiny Shiite minority is rising as extremists make use of their newly found freedom after President Hosni Mubarak's fall in 2011. Ultraconservative Sunnis hold Shiites as archenemies.

Egypt's new president, Mohamed Morsi, apparently does not object. A week ago he listened approvingly to clerks insulting Shiites during a rally against Syria's Bashar al-Assad, a Shiite himself.

Taking their cue from the president, sheiks in Zawyat Abu Musalam have ratcheted up the anti-Shiite rhetoric in recent weeks. Zawyat Abu Musalam, a small village south of Cairo, was witness to the latest atrocity from Egypt. On Sunday afternoon, a Sunni mob numbering some 3,000 attacked the home of a Shiite family, lynching at least four and torching the house. Another five houses belonging to Shiites were also set ablaze, injuring dozens.Eyewitnesses to the tragedy say the sheikhs accused the village Shiites of insulting Prophet Muhammed and spreading debauchery. One video shows members of the mob, covered in blood, justifying their doings saying the Shiites were holding "group sex" parties.

Fomenting religious divide. Divide to conquer. Morsi would be pleased considering his loud and clear approval of clerks insulting Shiites during a rally of Muslim extremists regarding Syria.

Bahaa Anwar, a Shia activist, said he held Morsi responsible for the
attack, as Morsi has held back from calling out incitement against Shias
in the past. And Morsi has attracted controversy for appointing Adel
al-Khayat governor of Luxor province, even though al-Khayat belonged to
an Islamist party linked to a massacre of 58 tourists in 1997.
Amid
increasing political and economic instability, mass demonstrations
against Morsi have been planned for June 30, the one year anniversary of
his inauguration.
"The political situation is definitely
worsening," said Dina Hassan, an Egyptian expatriate. "It has gotten to
the point where the streets are not safe again."Yet despite
Egypt's internal turmoil, the Obama administration has shown no signs of
stopping its support of the Muslim Brotherhood-led government.Earlier
this month, Secretary of State John Kerry quietly allowed $1.3 billion
of military aid to Egypt despite the country's failure to meet human
rights and democratic standards.A key condition of the aid was
that Egypt "is holding free and fair elections, implementing policies to
protect freedom of expression, association and religion, and due
process of law."But this condition was waived due to "the interest of the national security of the United States."

I can't help but conclude that this chaos and divide is being fomented intentionally

Can they do it again? Can they get millions back into the streets from Sunday and force President Mohamed Mursi to step aside, perhaps with a nudge from the army? Can they end the Islamist rule which Badr and his friends feel has usurped their revolution after only two years.

Badr thinks so, even if he shakes his head occasionally in disbelief that what he started in a casual conversation with friends a couple of months ago has swelled into a mammoth petition, backing nationwide rallies from this coming Sunday, that has the president and his allies seriously worried.

"I have no doubt, from what we saw during the signature campaign and our ability to gather millions of signatures from people in no time, that we will succeed," the 28-year-old newspaper and television journalist told Reuters.

"People will protest on June 30 and eventually we will force Mursi to do what we want. It is just a matter of time."

Mursi, for whom Sunday will mark his first anniversary in office, has dismissed efforts to unseat him as undemocratic - a view broadly echoed by others, from the head of the army to Islamist former militants and the U.S. ambassador in Cairo.

The Turks may have thought they could force change for their numerous legitimate grievances. Erdogan is still in power. Morsi and the Egyptian military have loyalties that lie elsewhere. Erdogan and Morsi will go only when the US and Israel have no more use for them.

Was going to get this up yesterday...better one day late then not at all
Is the no fly zone a possibility? I noticed there wasn’t any mention of it after the Doha conference this past weekend. Which means, nothing.
I found two news stories on Sunday that seemed to indicate that the no fly zone might still happen...Arab News :“Secret Steps” adopted to change Syria balance

World powers supporting Syria’s rebels decided on Saturday to take “secret steps” to change the balance on the battlefield.

In their final communique, the ministers agreed to “provide urgently all the necessary materiel and equipment to the opposition on the ground, each country in its own way in order to enable them to counter brutal attacks by the regime and its allies and protect the Syrian people.”

Speaking in Doha, top Qatari diplomat Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani said the meeting of foreign ministers of the “Friends of Syria” had taken “secret decisions about practical measures to change the situation on the ground in Syria.”

“Secret decisions about practical measures to change the situation on the ground in Syria”

Who attended the Doha meeting?

Ministers from Britain, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States attended the talks.

NATO nations and their GCC lackies. I do wonder what ever happened to all the other ‘friends’?
I am also curious if Israel was represented but that representation was not reported on?
I am of the opinion that someone, or a few someones, from Israel were in Doha.

“U.S. military personnel, including dozens staying on from joint military drills, are in Jordan”

Just what is needed for each country, in their own way, to shift the balance on the ground.
The US leaves behind 1 or 2 patriot missile batteries. 12 -24 F-16 fighter jets. And dozens of personnel stay behind after exercises.
Why?
No fly zone?
It looks like it

First a word of warning about the next linked article..
This piece is from WND.(World Net Daily) I do not find WND credible 99.9% of the time.
This is the first time I have ever used their info.
So, why am I using the upcoming piece?
Because it is interesting and quite plausible considering Assad’s 4 seas strategy and the spoils going to Qatar if Syria fails. It could also be an attempt to demonize Russia and China further. You read, you decide.

Notice the headline is already spinning? “Backroom deal” The Assad government, leading Syria, would be able to make such a deal with Russia. No “backroom” necessary. Also, information is from unnamed sources, originating with Israel. Still we are all aware of the eastern Mediterranean gas resources, therefore it seems possible the article has some truth buried in all the spin. Speaking of spin, I will omit it as much as possible and add my own commentary.

Assad last month agreed to sign the document, considered an understanding of principals on control of his country’s gas resources, including transiting pipelines.

The officials further said Russia helped to broker a separate understanding with Assad that would allow public and private Chinese companies to rebuild damaged infrastructure in Syria if Assad defeats the insurgency.

The alleged deals underscore the economic benefits that may motivate Russia to back Assad while the West, including the Obama administration, aids the rebels seeking a post-Assad Syria.

As opposed to the economic deals that benefit US/Israel/UK via Qatar?

Syria is a key energy transit route to Europe.A number of countries appear to be seeking dominance of the energy market that runs through Syria.

In 2011, Syria announced it had discovered a promising gas field in the city of Homs, which would later see some of the fiercest battles between Assad’s forces and the rebels.

Isn’t that interesting. Promising gas fields in Homs....

Beside the prospect of its own gas field, Syria is also one of the most strategic locations for natural gas pipelines to flow to Europe.

Syria is site of the proposed construction of a massive underground gas pipeline that, if completed, could drastically undercut the strategic energy power of U.S. ally Qatar and also would cut Turkey out of the pipeline flow.

I have covered the pipelines aspect of the Syrian conflict in a number of posts. Hopefully you have read them? For newer readers, I will relink later today

Set to open in 2016, Iran, Iraq and Syria signed a deal in 2010 to construct the 3,480-mile natural gas pipeline connecting Iran’s South Pars field to European customers.

A key portion of the pipeline is concentrated on the Syrian ports, which would export directly to Europe out of the Eastern Mediterranean. Russia has reportedly built up its naval presence along the major Syrian ports of Latakia and Tartus.

Turkey, however, is a key player in the Nabucco natural gas pipeline, which is being constructed to transit natural gas to Europe from the Central Asia and Caspian regions. That pipeline is set to traverse Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, and end in Austria.

Turkey has been a key supporter of the rebels fighting Assad’s regime, while Qatar has reportedly been supplied arms and training to the rebels.

The Islamic pipeline would boost the Shiite factions in the Middle East at the expense of Sunni-dominated countries.

The Sunni dominate countries are already under the heel of Israel and company

Qatar, home to the world’s largest gas field along with Iran, recently proposed a U.S.-backed gas pipeline from the Gulf to Turkey to Europe. Qatar has also had previous designs for a Syria pipeline that would connect to Turkey.

Qatar, while small, is backed up by the U.S. military. It is the location of U.S. Central Command’s Forward Headquarters and the Combined Air Operations Center.

Senior United States and Russian officials returned to Geneva on Tuesday for another round of talks at the United Nations on convening an international conference on Syria but with no hint of flexibility from parties to the conflict or their foreign backers.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Egypt's army chief warned on Sunday that the military is ready to intervene to stop the nation from entering a "dark tunnel" of internal conflict.

Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi spoke a week ahead of mass protests planned by opponents of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. There are fears the demonstrations calling for Morsi's ouster will descend into violence after some of the president's hard-line supporters vowed to "smash" them. Others declared protesters were infidels who deserve to be killed.

El-Sissi's comments were, his first in public on the planned June 30 protests, made to officers during a seminar.

El-Sissi also appeared to lower the threshold for what warrants intervention by the military. Earlier he cited collapse or near collapse of the state.

He said that while the military has recently stayed out the political fray and focused instead on its combat capabilities, its patriotic and moral responsibility toward Egyptians obliges it to intervene and stop Egypt from "slipping into a dark tunnel of conflict, internal fighting." He said sectarian violence and the collapse of state institutions would also justify intervention.

He urged all parties to use the week left before the June 30 protests to reach a "genuine" understanding to defuse the crisis. "We have a week during which a great deal can be achieved. This is a call that is only motivated by love of the nation, its presence and future."

"Those who think that we (the military) are oblivious to the dangers that threaten the Egyptian state are mistaken. We will not remain silent while the country slips into a conflict that will be hard to control," he said.

Problems with this?CBS wants us to believe this is displeasure with Morsi. But, is it?Could it really be support of Morsi?“We will not remain silent while the country slips into a conflict that will be hard to control" At a time when non Islamist Egyptians are going to stage protests?The military implies they could step in to keep the peace? This sounds quite supportive of Mr MB Morsi
Thinking back to when Mubarek stepped down to the big show in Egypt... The military stood down while the protests roiled. Why, at this time, would the military threaten to step in?

If Egypt gets itself too off kilter how would this play into the whole middle east being in an uproarAnd how will Israel react to instability in Egypt?

IT’S BEEN 14 years since the United States, defying Russian obstruction in the U.N. Security Council, launched an air campaign....Critics warned at the time that U.S. intervention would sow chaos or empower radicals

Which it did. It created a terror state in Kosovo. It empowered radicals. But, the KLA were western radicals. Just like AQ and al Nusra.

The incipient settlement is an example of how Western intervention can
stop a bloody and seemingly in­trac­table ethnic war — but also of how
much effort is required. Since the fighting ended in 1999, NATO has kept
a peacekeeping force in Kosovo, including U.S. troops; 760 American personnel
are still there. The deal between Mr. Thaci and Mr. Dacic was brokered
through the tireless diplomacy of European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who oversaw 10 taxing rounds of negotiations.

If anything was really stopped there would be no NATO peacekeeper force on the ground. That is self evident, despite the spin by WP.

The United States should support that ambition and also press countries
that have not yet recognized Kosovo, including several of its neighbors
in southeastern Europe, to do so. But the Obama administration would
also do well to take a lesson from this history. Limited U.S. military
interventions, accompanied by a sustained follow-up and vigorous
diplomacy, can save lives and stabilize troubled regions — even when
Russia and the U.N. Security Council don’t approve.

Senior U.S. and Russian officials will meet the international mediator on Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, in Geneva on Tuesday to discuss a peace conference, a U.N. spokeswoman said on Friday.

An international peace conference aimed at ending the conflict in Syria, first muted in June or July, is unlikely to take place before August after G8 leaders clashed with Russia over the nature of a transitional government.

The United States, Britain and France have supplied the United Nations with
a trove of evidence, including multiple blood, tissue and soil samples,
that U.S. officials say proves that Syrian troops used the nerve agent
sarin on the battlefield. But the nature of the physical evidence — as
well as the secrecy over how it was collected and analyzed — has opened
the administration to criticism by independent experts, who say there is
no reliable way to assess its authenticity.

NATO would never let such a thing as authenticity and truth get in the way of wholesale slaughter

Two views of the battle in Northern Syria.
The importance is understood. The interpretations differ.
You read. You decide.

A few miles from the border with Turkey, the Syrian army regularly lobs artillery on towns and villages where rebels and their Western backers had once envisioned an enclave to lay the groundwork for a post-Assad Syria.

The regime's moderate gains here, in territory Syrian rebels had dominated for over a year, have taken on new significance as the U.S. prepares to help arm rebel forces. Opposition supporters at Syria's northwestern border say an international defense of this territory would have given rebels a home base to govern and train—just as the Libyan opposition was able to do in Benghazi while rebels battled the Gadhafi regime.

Idlib was largely cleared of government forces in early 2012, less than a year after the start of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. The countryside here, abundant with olive groves, hosted some of the first and largest training grounds for rebel factions. Rebels held parts of the provincial capital, Idlib city, in February 2012, in what became a model for staging attacks on urban centers from the suburban countryside.

But government forces now control Idlib city, and the province has steadily slipped this year from secure rebel control. While the regime has appeared focused on consolidating its control around Damascus and the Western coast, that hasn't made it any safer here, local rebels and activists said.

Logistical and Other Challenges

For all the regime’s announcements of an imminent victory in Aleppo,
it is important to remember the very significant obstacles. Many of
these are in fact the same that prevented the regime from ousting the rebels from the city in summer 2012.

First, the main concentration of regime forces is a considerable
distance from Aleppo and is largely isolated due to rebel efforts to
sever its supply lines. The closest significant concentration of regime
forces is in Idlib city, but those troops are mostly cut off from the
south. Therefore, any serious advance on Aleppo would have to come from
the main concentration of loyalist forces in the core. The closest
realistic staging point for these forces to advance northward would be
from Hama governorate.

There are, in effect, two ways that the regime can reach Aleppo in
force. The first involves a thrust northward along the M5 highway from
Hama. The M5 highway would offer the regime the best supply
infrastructure leading to the city, greatly alleviating the logistical
burden necessary to support a considerable mechanized advance on Aleppo.
However, there are a large number of significant rebel positions along
this route. The advancing force would have to pass through northern Hama
governorate; Maarat al-Nuaman and Saraqeb, Idlib governorate; and Khan
Tuman and Khan Asal, Aleppo governorate. All of these positions would
have to be seized or reduced before the regime could advance without
fearing for its supply route.

To maintain the integrity of the M5 route, the loyalist forces would
also need to displace the rebels from the immediate area of the highway
and leave enough security forces along the route to maintain its ability
to function. This would be no easy feat. In fact, in some areas along
the M5 highway — such as Morek, which the rebels seized June 13 — the
rebels are actually advancing.

The regime’s second option to reach Aleppo is to skirt the main M5
highway and instead take secondary roads from Salamiyeh to Khanasser,
avoiding or defeating the new rebel offensive in the eastern Hama plain.
From there, the force would move north to link with the outer reach of
the regime position in Tall Sughayb and the Safira defense factory in
Aleppo governorate. Even though this route avoids the bulk of rebel
forces along the M5 highway, it is not clear that the secondary roads
have the capacity to support a large regime offensive. In any case, the
rebels have already recognized the potential for this route and have
placed some units in a blocking position, ensuring that an advance would
not be unopposed.

Complicating the regime’s future battle plans even further is the
recent U.S. decision to increase the arming of the rebels. There will
likely be a combination of more direct aid from the United States and
looser restrictions on the quantity and quality of weapons that other
states are already providing. The United States is moving toward a more
prominent role in arming the rebels, but at least initially its
involvement will be heavily tempered by its desire to avoid putting
weapons, particularly man-portable air-defense systems, in the hands of
extremist groups.

Regime forces are making progress, but they need a victory in Aleppo
before they can legitimately claim to be close to undermining the
rebellion. In order for the loyalists to seriously threaten the rebel
position in Aleppo, they need to be able to reach the area with a force
of considerable size and to keep that force supplied.

There is more to read at all links. Trying to cover lots of info in as little space as possible

Rosneft has signed a deal to supply China with $270bn worth of oil over the next 25 years, as Russia looks to boost ties with the world’s largest energy consumer.

The contract is set to be followed by an agreement by Novatek, Russia’s largest independent gas producer, with China’s Sinopec to take a stake in its $20bn liquefied natural gas project on Russia’s remote Yamal peninsula.

The two deals mark at least a partial pivot towards Asia as Russia seeks to exploit China’s ever-growing appetite for energy, amid stagnant demand from Europe and attempts by European countries to reduce reliance on Russia.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Turkey and the United States have intensified political and military dialogue for strategic planning to smoothly deliver U.S. weapons to the Mercenary Army: Free Syria Army (FSA)

On the political level, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Secretary of State John Kerry exchanged two phone calls, one on Saturday and the other late Wednesday, to discuss recent developments in Syria on the eve of a crucial core group meeting of the Friends of the Syrian People on Saturday in Doha. Kerry and Davutog(lu are also expected to hold a tête-à-tête meeting in Doha

On the military-intelligence level, technical experts from the two countries are in intense talks to explore the best ways for the delivery of American weaponry to the FSA. Some representatives of the NATO mercenaries (rebels) have also been present in these meetings.

One of the most likely potential routes for the transportation of this weaponry into Syria is through Turkey, which has a long border with its southern neighbor, diplomatic sources said. Syria’s northern parts are under the FSA’s control and Turkey has stood as the best logistical center for the Syrian opposition since the turmoil broke in the country in 2011.

And if you have been reading here since 2011, you are very well aware that Turkey has been supplying weapons, with CIA assistance, via the border all along.Since the first terror attack at Jisr Al Shigour

No-fly zone on the agenda of Doha

“After this change of policy, they sure want to be in close coordination with us,” a Turkish Foreign Ministry official told the HDN. “The change in the U.S. position has impacts on the ground and at the political level.

The Doha meeting of 11 foreign ministers of the core group of the Friends of the Syrian People follows recent Syrian regime successes, which intensified its attacks to re-take control of the northern town of Aleppo, the country’s economic capital. The conference follows a high-level meeting in Ankara last week between the Friends of Syria, during which FSA commander Salim Idriss discussed the provision of military aid, including heavy weapons

“We will discuss everything, including the implementation of a no-fly zone over Syria,” Foreign Minister Davutog(lu said in an interview with private broadcaster TGRT late on Wednesday. The use of chemical weapons, which has been proven by the Turkish and U.S. governments, will also be discussed

Aleppo is key for the FSA and Turkey

The regime’s success on the ground is seen as an warning among the international community. Regime forces’ retaking of critical passage point Qusayir, and particularly its marching toward Aleppo, were important developments on the ground that could give hope to al-Assad that he is winning the fight.

“The message we convey to the core group countries is that it’s time to give more support to the opposition. Al-Assad should not be brought to the point where he is winning the victory militarily. Because in this case, he would never approach us for a political solution,” the Turkish official stressed. Al-Assad’s achievements on the ground would make prospects for the 2nd Geneva meeting almost meaningless

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Here is what has been on my mind. Let me run it past all of you here.
We have all this jockeying for position prior to Geneva II.
Not just Israel/NATO/GCC. Not just Russia. Syria, also.
We had the very, very important battle at Quassi(y)r. The loss of the strategic town by the NATO terrorists and subsequent moves by the SAA have weakened the NATO/Israel/GCC position.

Obama reacted by using the chemical weapon/red line/humanitarian R2P meme as a justification for a possible no fly/buffer zone being enacted in parts of Jordan and possibly Turkey.
The discord in Turkey allows for this to be planned while most are distracted by the ongoing protests. I had suggested this possibility previously. A possibility we needed to be mindful of. The reasons for the protests at this time? Creating a perception of discord for the wider audience? While those in charge get what needs to be done, done.

However, this no fly zone is not going to get a pass at the UN. That has been made abundantly clear by Russia and China. There will be no approval from the international community for the US/Israel/GCC/UK/France to undertake this action using the UN for validation of insane, criminal, imperial actions.

I am afraid this will not stop the NATO/Israeli/CGG war mongering/imperial maniacs. Who can justify 'international' action via a coalition of the willing killers.So, will the NATO nations undertake an illegal, immoral attack on Syria?With a great big sigh emanating from my chest.... I suspect they will.

Highlighting the relevant information and then linking an article which should provide some food for thought to readers. And hopefully help clarify why it is I am suspicious that there will be air strikes on Syria.JP

The justification to undertake this action:

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen welcomed what he said was a "clear US statement". "The international community has made clear that any use of chemical weapons is completely unacceptable and a clear breach of international law," Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels.

The plans:

"Washington is considering a no-fly zone to help Assad's opponents," one diplomat said. He saidit would be limited "time-wise and area-wise, possibly near the Jordanian border," without giving details.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the no-fly zone would stretch up to 25 miles into Syria, andwould be enforced with aircraft flown from Jordan or from Navy ships in the Mediterranean or Red Sea.

The indication that NATO will engage in mass slaughter of civilians to pressure the Assad government:

The area near the Jordanian border contains some of the most densely-populated parts of Syria, including the outskirts of the capital Damascus.

Depending on the necessity, troops could be at the ready:

Washington has moved Patriot surface-to-air missiles, war planes and more than 4,000 troops into Jordan in the past week, officially as part of an annual exercise, but making clear that the forces deployed could stay on when the war games are over.

This "limited" type of action has been undertaken previously. Recall Serbia?

As President Barack Obama contemplates his many bad options in Syria, he may want to consider the Aspin Doctrine, an argument for intervention abroad made by President Clinton’s first secretary of defense, Les Aspin.

In 1993, the Clinton administration was wrestling with a seemingly insoluble conflict in Bosnia, where Serbian-backed troops were besieging cities and slaughtering civilians.

Aspin’s advice was straightforward: Let’s bomb the Serbs and see what happens.

Critics objected that military action would put the United States on a slippery slope toward deeper intervention, but Aspin rejected that thinking as outmoded.

"If it doesn’t work," he said, the United States could simply "back off." "Take it one step at a time, and see where we end up," he said.

That’s the Aspin Doctrine: Military intervention doesn’t have to be a slippery slope as long as you keep the option of walking away.

At first, Clinton rejected Aspin’s suggestion. But two years later, he changed his mind and launched airstrikes that helped bring the Bosnian Serbs to the negotiating table — while insisting that he would not send U.S. soldiers into combat there.

Obama’s decision last week to send weapons and ammunition to the rebels fighting Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria carried a distant echo of Clinton’s experience in Bosnia.

Like Clinton, Obama initially rejected proposals for lethal military aid. But he announced Thursday that he has decided to help arm the rebels, beginning with modest measures: a gradual escalation of aid including small arms and ammunition now, and perhaps eventually the antitank and antiaircraft missiles the rebels say they need most.

Why the change in tactic?

Probably most important, though, is this: The rebels were in danger of losing. Thousands of fighters from Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah have streamed into Syria over the last three months, and they have helped Assad’s regime regain the upper hand on the battlefield.

Obama’s decision won’t transform the situation on the ground. The rebels may well suffer more reverses in coming weeks. But with similar aid from Britain, France and other countries, the U.S help could speed the process of turning the rebels into a more effective army — one the Assad regime won’t be able to destroy.

Obama was left with two unpalatable options: escalate or accept defeat. Doing nothing might have led to irreversible results, the collapse of the rebels, so he chose to escalate — but only a little and with a vow to put no U.S. boots on the ground.

Some critics will still warn that he has stepped onto a slippery slope that leads to direct military intervention. But that’s where the Aspin Doctrine comes in. There are plenty of examples of the United States aiding one faction in a civil war, only to disengage if our client army failed.

Obama’s gradual escalation doesn’t preclude military intervention later — and could even pave the way for it.

In 1995, Clinton began airstrikes only after the Bosnian army, strengthened by help from neighboring Croatia, had begun to hold its own against the Serbs.

The experience appears to have left Clinton a devotee of the Aspin Doctrine. "Some people say, ‘OK, see what a big mess it is? Stay out!’ I think that’s a big mistake," Clinton said of Syria last week in comments reported by Politico. "Sometimes it’s just best to get caught trying, as long as you don’t overcommit."

Increased aid to the rebels, in other words, doesn’t need to be a slippery slope — as long as the president remembers to keep his footing.

Much is at stake here. The success or failure of the Syrian Army can affect this strike plan, possibly.
My thoughts are most definitely with the Syrian people. Who have shown a level of bravery and perseverance, unimaginable to myself. The kind of spirit lacking in so many these days.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

The G-8 summit's joint statement on ending the Syrian civil war will not
mention whether Bashar Assad must step down from power as part of any
peace settlement, a senior Russian diplomat said Tuesday ahead of the
document's publication.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters the eight
nations have agreed they should not specify any outcome from peace talks
that all agree should start soon in Geneva.

Ryabkov said the talks should aim to create a transitional coalition
government for Syria, but should not predetermine whether Assad can
participate in that government.

"It would be wrong and harmful and violate the political balance," he
said. "We cannot dictate to the participants in the process how it's
going to end, otherwise it makes no sense to even start it."

The formal Syria declaration is expected later Tuesday after leaders of
all eight G-8 members discussed the Syrian impasse over dinner Monday
night.

If I have time later I will update this post.
My Comment: This news speaks louder about much more then just Geneva 2 then most will every really be aware of.

Many exchange shops closed in Damascus on Tuesday, fearing more chaos a
day after the Syrian currency plunged to a new record low.
The currency woes add to the embattled president’s troubles, and
government officials rushed to allay public fears by announcing Damacus’
top ally Iran was extending a credit line to make up for market needs.

The head of the Central Bank of Syria, Adib Mayaleh, said Tuesday that the bank would draw on a $1 billion credit line from Iran

“CBS will provide the exchanging institutions and the Commercial Bank of Syria
with the foreign currency by acceptable prices in order to meet the
citizens’ requests to buy the foreign currencies according to
regulations which sell each citizen an amount of 1000 euro per month,”
Mayaleh said in a statement quoted in the Syrian state news agency,
SANA.

Reinoud Leenders, a Syrian expert at the Department of Middle East Studies
at King’s College, said the central bank was able to stave off such a
precipitous drop in the value of the pound for longer than many
observers had expected.

“There has been a devaluation of the Syrian pound, but there [had]
not been a double-digit devaluation when compared to the dollar, so they
must be leaning on pretty substantial foreign currency reserves which
must be coming from Iran, Russia,” he told The Daily Star. “It’s
amazing, especially if you compare what happened to [the value of
currency in] Iraq.”

David Cameron last night made an
appeal to Syria's military and security leaders in an extraordinary
attempt to spark a coup against Bashar al-Assad.The Prime Minister said the future of the country's army and security forces would be guaranteed were Assad's regime to fall.

Outlining a future for the country, a statement said 'public services must be preserved or restored'. 'This
includes the military forces and security services,' it added.
Diplomats confirmed this was a direct message to the leaders of Assad's
military and security forces that they would not be swept aside if he is
removed.

Monday, June 17, 2013

VIDEO UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM. Israeli 'business man' in the business of supporting terror.Geez. The Western media is so full of nonsense and bravado today! No wonder most citizens from the so called ‘civilized nations’ are soooooo..... ignorant. Trying to find an article of substance regarding the G-8 meeting is difficult. Thankfully Chinese media had a decent one.Xinhua-U.S., Russia able to overcome differences on Syria by "minimum consensus"

Despite disagreements on the Syrian crisis, the United States and Russia are expected to reach at least "minimum consensus" on ways to overcome the obstacles facing the Geneva peace conference likely to take place in July, analysts said.
U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are meeting Monday on the sidelines of a G8 summit in Northern Ireland and the Syrian issue will top their discussions, observers said

MAJOR DISAGREEMENTS TO BE TACKLED

Syrian analysts agreed that the two leaders' meeting will address the United States' discontent with the involvement of the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group in the Syria's fighting, Russian 's rejection of the recent U.S. decision to render qualitative weapons to the rebels on the ground and the U.S. report that implicated the Syrian government of the usage of chemical weapons.

Safwan Akkash, a leading opposition figure, told Xinhua that Washington sees the involvement of Hezbollah in Syria's war as " game changer" as the militant group had largely helped the Syrian army to regain the strategic rebel stronghold of al-Qussair in central Syria.

After the sweeping victories of the Syrian army on several fronts, the rebels pleaded for help from their Western patronsand warned if the West does not send heavy weapons, they would surely lose their position at the possible future negotiations.

I had done some posts on the battle for Al Qussay(i)r. Comparing it to Stalingrad. Thinking that was too dramatic. Now, I don’t think it was. The loss was greater then just the one battle. It was a total loss of the upper hand, completely, in ways I hadn't imagined. Going to digress briefly, but, relevantly. Came across an article yesterday. It seems it should be placed here. After reading this, I realized just how significant the Syrian Army win really was. And why the US/Israel/NATO warmongers responded the way they did.

The Syrian military’s success in the al-Qusayr offensive should be regarded as a major victory for President Bashar al-Assad that obviously changed all the equations in the country. The region had been a key supply route for the rebels fighting government forces in Homs, and the importance of al-Qusayr is redoubled by its location next to Lebanon and the potential role it could play if the conflict spilled over into that country.

The city was also a hub of intelligence activities against Syria and its allies in the region. Since 1983, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have given millions of dollars to the nomads living in the area and have used them as informants and agents. Over the past few years, these elements have been actively serving the intelligence agencies of those two countries and Israel. The recapture of al-Qusayr effectively neutralized these spy cells, and thus the Syrian government and Hezbollah regained their intelligence superiority in the region.

The Syrian government’s victory in al-Qusayr deprived Israel of the ability to acquire the intelligence necessary for bombing sensitive civilian and military sites in Syria. It has also significantly weakened Israeli intelligence agencies’ access to Hezbollah’s key locations in the Baalbek Valley. Al-Qusayr was the main supply route for rebels in nearby cities like Raqqah, and the Syrian military’s recapture of the city takes away one of their main tools in their battle against Assad.

Israel lost big time....

The fall of al-Qusayr was also the fall of the enemy’s dreams that the conflict would spill over into neighboring Lebanon. The area could have become a key supply route for smuggling weaponry into Lebanon, where sectarian disputes in Tripoli and other places are very acute.

This is a great achievement for Assad and his ally Hezbollah, and the rebels are no longer capable of pressuring the government in Damascus through their influence on the very sensitive areas that are usually viewed as the Hezbollah heartland.

Digression over back to the Xinhua article:

Washington was quick to respond to the rebels' request. U.S. President Obama agreed Thursday to render weapons to the rebels on ground, but under the pretext of helping the rebels to counter the Syrian army's use of chemical weapons, such as agent sarin

The pretext of ‘chemical weapons’ was used because the US did not want to acknowledge that the tiny nation of Syria, and her people, kicked the global tyranny’s army to the curb.

Russia, Syria's main ally, rejected the U.S. decision to arm the rebels and Putin referred such a move as arming on "cannibals. "

Speaking on the eve of the G8 summit at a joint press conference with Britain's David Cameron, Putin said "I think you will not deny that one does not really need to support the people who not only kill their enemies, but open up their bodies, eat their intestines, in front of the public and cameras."

"Are these the people you want to support? Is it them who you want to supply with weapons?" he asked.

Yes, indeed Mr Putin. Those are the people Israel, US, Britain and others of their ilk want to support. Mr Putin knows that for a fact. So do you and I. NATO/Israel/GCC support terrorists and cry about terrorism. They create terrorism to enable their warmongering. It is a sick, sick game the NATO war machine is playing.

LESS IMPORTANT DETAILS ALSO TO BE DISCUSSED

Maher Morhej, a moderate opposition figure and head of the local Youth Party, told Xinhua that Obama and Putin are also expected to discuss some less important details, such as the Syrian government and the opposition parties' representation at the Geneva peace conference.

The Syrian government said it had chosen its "official" delegation to Geneva as the opposition groups have yet to come together to entrust a delegation to the much-anticipated conference.

Weather the decisions that emerged from the conference should be binding under the UN charter is likely to be tackled, Morhej said, adding that the mechanisms of holding the conference and its date would also be discussed.

Yet, both analysts agreed that despite the many difficulties and details, the conference would be held and both the government and the opposition will participate in it.

"There is no turning back, because turning back means canceling the Geneva conference and escalating the situation toward a fully- fledged war," Morhej said.

Before I end this post... I am going to link one last article. An opinion piece from John Bolton

I am not a fan of this man at all. That said, he is linked to the psychos we allow to control us because he is one of them.. He is connected. He is privy to information that you and I can only speculate on. I found this piece interesting. Tell me what you think about what Mr Bolton has written in this piece Russia Outmaneuvers Obama Over Syria

President Obama's belated acknowledgment that Syria's regime has used chemical weapons effectively forced his decision on Thursday to arm the opposition. Whether Mr. Obama's U-turn alters the conflict's course is a different question. One thing seems certain: Russia's support for Bashar al-Assad remains unwavering. It should make for an interesting G-8 meeting on Monday and Tuesday in Northern Ireland.

Since Syria's civil war began, Mr. Obama has insisted, contrary to fact, that the U.S. and Russia have a common interest in resolving the crisis and stabilizing the Middle East. Secretary of State John Kerry's recent efforts to secure Russian co-sponsorship of a peace conference, at which Washington will push for Assad's ouster, reflect Mr. Obama's illusion.

The objective evidence consistently demonstrates that Russia has no interest whatever in eliminating its only remaining Arab ally. Moscow's military and financial assistance to Damascus continues undiminished, along with its hold on the Cold War-era Tartus naval base, strategically positioned on Syria's Mediterranean coast—but now facing only a phantom U.S. Sixth Fleet. Despite the hoopla surrounding the announcement of the proposed peace talks, their starting date, attendees, agenda and prospects all remain uncertain.

Most dramatically, Russia last month reaffirmed its commitment to deliver sophisticated S-300 air-defense missile systems to Assad. Although Israeli leaders have played down the sale's significance, this combination of advanced radars and missiles, which can defeat any non-stealthy aircraft (and Israel does not now have stealth planes), could change the strategic balance in Syria as well as in Lebanon and Iran—to Israel's detriment and ours.

Altering that broader strategic balance is precisely what Russia intends, exploiting President Obama's McGovernite "come home, America" policies, repeated in May when he again declared the war on terror almost over. Mr. Obama's continuing lack of interest in global threats to the U.S. is another manifestation of his inattention to defending the tenuous global stability on which the world's economy—and America's—critically rests.

Three years ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pleaded with Vladimir Putin not to sell S-300 systems to Iran. Mr. Netanyahu feared that Iran's nuclear program, sheltered behind the S-300 air defenses, would be impervious to Israeli strikes. Although the U.S. could penetrate and destroy S-300s in Iran, Israel does not believe (and didn't in 2010) that Mr. Obama is serious when he says "all options are on the table" concerning Washington's possible military steps.

Perhaps responding to still-unknown Israeli commitments, Mr. Putin agreed not to send S-300 missiles to Iran, publicly citing Security Council Resolution 1929—the last substantive United Nations sanction against Tehran that Russia and China have permitted. This is more than a little ironic, since Russia had previously contended that Resolution 1929's arms sanctions did not bar sales of antiaircraft missiles, an assessment entirely shared by the Obama administration.

Because Russia's public interpretation of Resolution 1929 is clearly incorrect, the interpretation could easily be reversed, or simply ignored, should Russia so choose. Since 2010, Israel has reportedly trained against S-300s previously sold to Cyprus, but this is hardly equivalent to confronting them in combat situations wielded by skilled operators. Despite Israel's recent bluster regarding S-300s, Mr. Netanyahu reprised his pilgrimage to Moscow on May 14, this time hoping to block the Syrian sale. Mr. Putin refused.

Much, therefore, depends on how effectively Moscow trains Assad's military, or, even more chillingly, whether Russian crews will operate S-300s in Syria, which would definitely raise the stakes for NATO or Israeli attacks on the missile or radar emplacements.

There is enormous political symbolism in the S-300 deal, which is bolstered by Russian sales of antiship missiles and MiG fighters, and naval deployments to the Eastern Mediterranean. Russia's support to prevent Assad's fall is already having a considerable impact on the conflict, whatever steps Mr. Obama may now hesitatingly undertake.

The spillover prospect of using S-300s to protect Hezbollah's weapons in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley is significant both for Israel and for Hezbollah's ever-larger role in Syria's hostilities. Iran's mullahs also benefit, especially if S-300s bound for Syria find their way into Iranian hands. The ever-closer Tehran-Moscow relationship underlines the essentially negligible prospects for negotiating Iran out of its nuclear-weapons program.

While Mr. Obama sleepwalks, Mr. Putin is ardently pursuing Russia's Middle East objectives. He has always been clear about his larger goals.

In 2005, Mr. Putin told the Russian Federation Assembly that "the collapse of the Soviet Union was a major geopolitical disaster of the [last] century," which he clearly hoped to remedy. Mr. Putin's neo-imperialistic goals now extend globally. In Soviet days, Americans joked that Sergei Lavrov, now Russian foreign minister, was a closet royalist, but he longs less for a Romanov restoration than for a return to the czars' hegemonic achievements.

While the evidence about Russia's strategic objectives may not be conclusive, the direction is ominous. And as long as America operates on the assumption that the U.S. has common interests with Russia in Syria, Lebanon, Iran or the Middle East generally, we will see Moscow's influence rise and ours decline. Even in today's Washington, that's a scandal.

Think about this?

War is .....

...THE CONTINUATION OF STATE POLICY, BY OTHER MEANS

.......A POLITICAL ACTIVITY IN WHICH VIOLENCE IS USED TO BEND THE WILL OF YOUR ENEMY TO THAT OF YOUR OWN

Stop being Manipulated by the Elites

For if you [the rulers] suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded from this, but that you first make thieves [outlaws] and then punish them.´ - Sir Thomas More (1478-1535)

Resource: Ukraine Military Marker

How your brain works

“‘Each thought and behavior is embedded within the circuitry of the neurons, and…neuronal activity accompanying or initiating an experience persists in the form of reverberating neuronal circuits, which become more strongly defined with repetition”

Richard Restak

Unshackle YOUR mind

'The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed'- Steve Biko

Total Pageviews

Edward Bernays: Perception Management it is a Reality

"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society,"

"Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. . . . In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons . . . who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind."

About Me

This blog is a place to not only post information that will never see the light of day on the mainstream media, but, also to present alternative perspectives to main stream media information, that most often presents no background, no context, and never questions the information presented.
The name I chose, Penny for your thoughts, is an invitation to readers to share their relevant thoughts on the varying information.